The 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit found that the cost of road congestion and public transport crowding in Australia could increase from $19 billion in 2016 to $39.6 billion in 2031 without continued infrastructure investment. Although its root causes vary, it is a widespread problem across multiple corridors in Australian cities.
Addressing these problems will require multiple investments that are focused on productivity enhancing network optimisation, as well as continued investment in new capacity.
A Network Optimisation Program for roads would focus on addressing congestion on urban road networks with comparatively high public transport and freight use. These works could use data and technology to improve network operations by, for example, optimising traffic flow through intersection treatments, traffic light sequencing, speed control, clearways and incident management.
The proposal would build on existing work being undertaken in this field to identify and prioritise a program of works nationally to help maximise the existing productive capacity of the road network, with a focus on urban motorways, major urban arterials and access to major centres. These works could delay the need for some large-scale investments.
See here for a list of submissions received by Infrastructure Australia in relation to this program proposal. This proposal was originally included on the Infrastructure Priority List under the combined Network Optimisation Program proposal and was subsequently separated in 2018.
This proposal calls for program submissions that relate to optimising the road network in each locality.
We acknowledge that since listing this proposal, a number of state and territory governments have progressed proposals in response to this problem, including new road technologies, parking policies, enhanced maintenance, intelligent transport systems, managed motorways, targeted upgrades and also level crossing removals.
We continue to encourage relevant organisations to fully assess this problem in their respective locality, state or territory (Stage 1 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework) prior to identifying and analysing potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).